The desert rhubarb grows in the mountainous deserts of Israel and Jordan, where there’s only about 75mm of rainfall each year. Plants with large leaves and a deep root system, like the desert rhubarb, typically can’t survive in such an arid climate. But somehow, this plant has apparently figured out how to water itself. Upon closer examination, scientists discovered deep grooves around the plant’s veins, which are coated in a waxy cuticle that helps channel water down to the root. Ridges in the plant’s giant leaves actually collect water and channel it down to the plant’s root system, harvesting up to 16 times more water than any other plant in the region. This is truly the first example of a self-irrigating plant.

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Among all the animals, lynx has the sharpest hearing: even in its deepest sleep, it hears the quietest noise, coming from afar. This animal owes its hearing abilities to little “brushes” on the top of its ears, which serve as a sort of antenna.

When the ships were made of wood, the loopholes and the windows were square. In 19th century, when they started building steel ships, they found that the material in the corners was more likely to decade than the other parts and that’s why the water got through those parts easier. Round windows, which are called “bull’s eyes” in some countries, are more resistant and long-lasting. Thanks to those, many sea accidents were avoided.